4 Tasting Notes
I am very impressed with this tea. I have to say, I am not a fan of bagged teas – I will drink them if I just want a quick pick me up – but think one was simply delicious! I often find with many ‘chocolate’ teas that there is no real chocolate flavour – that is not true in this case. Tasted like I was sucking on a yummy chocolate thin mint! The flavors are very bold. Very well done!
Flavors: Chocolate, Mint
Preparation
Very light in nature, delicate flavors. Nearly no aroma. Grassy. Subtly sweet. I really enjoyed it. For a ‘bagged’ tea I was thoroughly pleased with the appearance of the post-infusion leaves — you just never see that in a tea bag. Amazing colour to the liquor too — bright yellow, almost like a white tea. Gave this a 3/5 for value and flavor (however light) in my teal cupping journal.
Flavors: Astringent, Grass
Preparation
This has got to be one of my favorite varieties of tea. The intense, but smooth, aromas and flavors are not everyone’s cup of tea — you either love it or you hate it. I love it. The aroma carries beautifully, you need not stick your nose in the tin – but gently waft towards the face. I love cupping this tea for people, seeing there eyes light up at first sip! This tea reminds me of smoked salmon, whiskey and campfire. I find that if brewed just right you can skip the bitterness (not that you always want to) and have the flavours gently wane away with only a ghost of the original haunting your nasal cavities.
Flavors: Ash, Autumn Leaf Pile, Bark, Brandy, Campfire, Cedar, Dark Wood, Fireplace, Leather, Pepper, Smoke, Smooth, Tar
Preparation
I wrote in my tea journal last night after tasting this and was not incredibly impressed. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE earl grey and bergamot oil even more so! To the moon and back. I, however, wound up giving it a 2.5/5 (which is not awful, but not great). I found the bergamot overwhelmed the black tea and the only aroma I could sense through the oil was harsh citrus – almost alcoholic. When infused I found the flavour to be weak and underdeveloped. I would honestly drink this again – for the value and the fact that I really love bergamot – but would not present to guests at a tasting.
Flavors: Alcohol, Anise, Astringent, Bergamot, Campfire, Citrus, Citrus Fruits, Citrus Zest, Decayed Wood, Earl Grey, Eucalyptus, Pine, Sambuca, Vodka